Insect destroyer



June 17, 1930. C. B. HAY 1,764,952

INSECT DESTROYER Filed Aug. 30, 1929 Patented June 17, 1930 PATENT OFFICE I CLARENCE 1B. HAY, OF SU'MTER, SOUTH CAROLINA INSECT DESTROYER Application filed August 30, 1929. Serial No. 389,575.

My invention relates to a device for applying a liquid poison to plants, and is particularly adapted for use in applying such poison to cotton plants, for the purpose of 5 killing the boll weevil, while not necessarily restricted to that use.

The poison ordinarily employed in killing the boll weevil upon cotton plants, consists of a mixture of water, molasses and calcium arsenate.

form of a powder. Ordinarily one gallon of water, one gallon of molasses and one pound of calcium arsenate are used. This gives at least one quart or more of the powdered calcium arsenate to two gallons of the liquid mass. The calcium arsenate is only slightly soluble in water and the major portion of the same remains suspendedin the liquid mass.

After the ingredients are combined, they are thoroughly stirred.

Thegreat difficulty experienced in apply ing this liquid poison to cotton plants or the likeis to apply the mass in such a manner that the suspended calcium arsenate will properly reach the plant. If the liquid mass is applied by means of a fabric sheet, it has been found that the suspended powdered calcium arsenate adheres to the sheet, clogging the same, and very little of the same reaches the plant. Bythe use of a fabric sheet in applying this liquid poison, the poison can not be properly applied to all parts of the plants, particularly to the back of the leaves, and further the action of the sheet tends to bend over or injury the plant, due to the inability of the sheet to pass between the branches and leaves of the plant.

In accordance with my invention, these difficulties have been overcome. The inven tion provides a'tubular distributor head of sufiicient diameter to constitute a reservoir, for holding the liquid poison; This reservoir is provided with spaced openings or apertures, through which pass spaced separate fibrous mop elements or wicks. These mopelements are folded upon themselves at their centers and are passed about a rod arranged within the distributor head and preferably concentric therein. The liquid poison, therefore, completely surrounds the This calcium arsenate is in the take up end of the mop elements, which are submerged in the liquid, whereby the fibrous mop elements freely absorb the liquid andcarry the liquid with the suspended powdered calcium arsenate outwardly from the distributor head, the same traveling downwardly of the mop elements by capillary action. Each mo element is preferably made of a plurality of absorbent cords, such as cotton cords, which are free from connection with each other except at their center, but are arranged in groups constituting the mop element. The mop elements are highly flexible and are movable independently of each other and are, therefore, adapted to pass freely between the branches of the plant. The mop elements are relatively light and do not tend to unduly bend the plant down, nor to injure the same. The free independent movement of each mop element enables the same to apply the liquid poison to the back of the leaves. Actual tests which I have performed indicate that seventy-five percent of the liquid poison was applied to the back of the leaves, which is highly advantageous, since the boll weevil ordinarily stays upon the back of the leaves, and further this applicatipn prevents the poison from being washed from the leaf to a great extent. The device is simple, and cheap to manufacture. Actual tests have shown that thedevice may be used to apply the liquid insecticide to fifteen or twenty acres of the cotton plant, without the necessity of cleaning the distributor head. If the device is used longer than this, it may be found that some of the powdered calcium arsenate accumulates within the distributor head, rendering it advisable to clean the distributor head.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the distributor head, and,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the same, taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

The device may be applied to a plow and the poison applied to the plant during the plowing of the cotton, but the invention is in no sense restricted to this use, as a separate support may be provided for the device. For the purpose of illustration, the support is shown in the form of a plow embodying a plow beam 5, carrying the usual stock 6, provided with a plow-share 7. Handles 8 extend rearwardly from the plow beam 5, as is customary.

The device embodies a tank 9 for holding the liquid poison, containing water, molasses and the powdered calcium arsenate. This tankis shown as supported by an arm 10,

which may be suitably clamped to the handle o and this arm carries a strap 11, clamping the tank 9 therein. The tank 9 may be verti cally adjustable within the strap 11, to compensate for plants of different heights, Conaected with the lower end of the tank 9 is a feed pipe 12, equipped with a valve 13, to regulate the flow of the liquid poison through the same.

The numeral 14 designates avtubular distributor head or reservoir, connected with and supported by the pipe 12, and arranged transversely to the beam 5, as shown. This tubular distributor head has its ends preferably threaded as shown at 15, for engagement with threaded caps 16, which are removable, whereby the tubular distributor head may be readily cleaned. Extending preferably concentric within the tubular. distributor head 14 and spaced from the walls of the same is an attaching rod 17, the ends of which are inserted within central openings 18, formed in holding elements 19, disposed within the caps 16, as shown.

The numeral 20 designates separate spaced mop elements, formed of absorbent fibrous material. Each mop element embodies a lurality of strands or cords 21, which may be formed of cotton. These cords are preferably tied toglether at their center, as shown at 22, while t ey are preferably completely disconnected throughout the remainder of their length. The cords lie in close relation.

Each mop element is folded upon itself at its center or at the place of tying, as at 22, and

is passed about the attaching rod 17 as more clearly shown in Figure 2, and passes through an aperture 23, preferabl formed in the rear side of the tubular distributor head. These apertures 23 are spaced for a considerable distance, as clearly shown in Figure 3, whereby the mop elements are spaced for a considerable distance and are separate from each other and independent in action. The mop elements are highl flexible and light. The mop elements su ciently close the openings 23 to permit of the wasting of the liquid poison. I The operation of the device is as follows: The plow is drawn longitudinally of the row of cotton asis customary in plowing and the tubul'ar distributor head 14 extends transversely of the row of cotton plants and is at an elevation to travel above the tops of the plants without contacting therewith. The flexible mop elements depend from the tubular distributor head and are adapted to en age with the cotton plant, as illustrated'in igure 2. These mop elements will pass freely between the branches and leaves of the plant, and by a light dragging action will apply the liquid poison to the backs of the leaves. As before stated, actual tests show that seventy-five percent of the liquid poison was applied to the backs of the leaves which is highly advantageous. -Due to the independent action of the mop elements, and their ability to work between the branches and leaves of the plant, the maximum amount of liquid poison is applied to the leaves. Due to the fact that the mop elements are light, they do not exert an undue dragging action upon the plant which would tend to unduly bend the same over and injure the plant. The

distributor head 14 has a substantial diameter and serves as a reservoir for holding a sufficient amount of the liquid poison so that the take-up end of the mop elements are completely submerged and surrounded by the liquid poison. This enables a proper feeding of the liquid poison to the mop elements so that they will properly take up not only the liquid constituent of the poison but also the powdered calcium arsenate in suspension and feed the same downwardly of the mop elements by capillary action. Due to the construction and size of the distributor head, the device may .be used to apply poison toabout fifteen or twenty acres of cotton plants before it becomes necessary to clean the tubular distributor head of undue deposits of the powdered calcium arsenate.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or .the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A device for applying poison to cotton plants or the like, comprising a reservoir having its longitudinal axis extending transversely of the row of plants and having spaced apertures arranged in a set extending longitudinally of the reservoir, separate spaced mop elements formed of flexible absorbent material depending from the reservoir and having their upper ends passing through the apertures to enter said reservoir, and an attaching rod extending longitudinally within the reservoir and having the plants" or the like, comprising a reservoir mop elements formed of flexible absorbent stantial spaced concentric relation,

p ly a liquid material and dependin from the reservoir and'passed through sai apertures, each mop element being folded upon itself to provide a loop for receiving the attaching rod.

3. A device for applying poison to cotton plants or the like, comprising a support, a tank mounted upon the support, a tubular distributor head having its longitudinal axis arranged transversely of the row of plants and provided with a set of apertures which are spaced substantial distances, said set extending lon 'tudinally of the tubular distributor heari a pipe connecting the tank and tubular distributor head, an attaching rod disposed within the distributor head in suband mop elements folded over the attaching rod and passed outwardly'through said a ertures, said mop elements being spaced for su stantial distances and bein independent in their action.

4. A device or applying poison to cotton plants or the like, com rislng a tubular body portion having a set 0 spaced apertures, said set extending longitudinall o the tubular body portion, caps removab y mounted upon the ends of the tubular body portion, an attaching rod extending longitudinally within the tubular body portion 1n spaced relation, and flexible absorbent mop elements extending through the apertures and passed about the attaching rod.

5. A device for applying poison to cotton plants or the like, comprising a tubular bodly' portion having its longitudinal axis exten ing transverselyof the row of plantsfsaid tu ular body portion having a set of s aced apertures, said set extending longitudinally of the tubular body portion means to suppoison to the tubular body porature. a AY.

tlon, caps'removably mounted upon the ends of the tubular body portion, an attachin rod 1 extending longitudinally within the tu ular body portion, means for detachably connect- 1 ing the rod with said caps for holding the rod generally centrallyswithin the tubular body portion, and flexible absorbent mop elements extending through the apertures and engaging the rod at points spaced from the apertures.

6. A device for applying poison to cotton plants or the like, comprising a tubular bodly ten portion having its longitudinal axis ex 1n transversely of therow of plants, said tu ular body portion having a set of spaced apertures, said set'extending longitudinally of the tubular body portion, caps removably 

